Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is literally my favorite pasta salad ever! In this creamy pasta salad recipe, dill pickles play a starring role and add tons of flavor and crunch! This recipe is even better when it’s made ahead of time making it the perfect potluck dish!
I have a thing for dill pickles. I always have. My sister and I have exchanged pickle themed gifts for about 20 years now… I’ve received everything from pickle erasers and a case of pickle pops (like freezies.. but pickle juice) and given her everything from a yodeling pickle to pickle soap and jewellery. One thing we haven’t exchanged yet is a dill pickle recipe, so of course I have to dedicate this delicious pasta salad recipe to my sister Candace.
I like pasta salads, I make a ton of them. They’re easy to make and usually better if made ahead of time. They’re the hit of every potluck meal and perfect to pack the next day for lunch. As much as I like pasta salads, this Dill Pickle Pasta salad is honestly one of the best pasta salads I’ve ever had! Pickles (or even dill pickle relish) usually play a supporting role in recipes, especially pasta salad recipes and potato salads.
But not this time… nope, this time the prized dill pickle plays the starring role, front and center.
* cheer * yay * cheer *
There is pickle flavor infused throughout this recipe (in 3 different places) yet it’s just the right amount of pickley (if pickley is even a word!?). Yup, time to get pickled people (in the dill pickle sense of course).
When buying pickles for this recipe, I love baby dills if you can find them because I love the crunch they give and I love how they look in little rounds. I’m a bit freakish about my pickles so I actually pick up all of the pickle jars at the store and try to choose jar with the the smallest pickles. I look like a person trying to choose the perfect produce, only in the pickle aisle. If you only have bigger dill pickles (or homemade pickles), they’ll still be great in this recipe too, just chop them but not too small, you want them to keep that crunch.
If you have (or love) sweet pickles you can also throw a handful of those in here too. I mean, sweet and salty, crunch creamy… perfection right?!
Oh, and when you’re scooping out your pickle juice to add to the dressing in this recipe, try to grab all of those yummy little garlicky bits floating around and put them in the dressing too, they add extra flavor. And one last tip about the white onion… be sure to grab the onions with the white papery skin, the ones with the yellow skin are much stronger and will be a little bit overpowering in this dish.
This dill pickle pasta salad is pretty much guaranteed to be the hit of your next potluck and the best part is that it is awesome made the day before! If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers (which I doubt would happen) they’ll keep several days in the fridge and make the perfect lunch!
Items You’ll Need For This Recipe
* Dill Pickles * Shell Pasta * Cayenne Pepper *
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- ½ pound medium shells about 3 cups
- ¾ cup sliced pickles
- ⅔ cup diced cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons minced white onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- ½ cup dill pickle juice
Dressing
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 tablespoons dill pickle juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil pasta al dente according to package directions. Run under cold water to stop cooking.
- Toss cold pasta with about ½ cup of pickle juice and set aside for about 5 minutes. Drain & discard pickle juice.
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
- Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Video
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Side Dish
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Hi Holly
What tipe of mayonnaise do you use?
I use Hellmann’s real mayonnaise.
Most often Hellmann’s real mayonnaise.
To start off, I actually really dislike pasta salad, but I ADORE this recipe. We had a family gathering and my job was to bring a pasta salad. I found this recipe and it was love at first taste. This was also a hit with the family! I’ve made it twice since and I have not met one person that doesn’t enjoy it! Everyone should try this recipe! It’s easy to make, makes a lot and stays good for several days
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Rachel, it’s definitely my go-to pasta salad recipe too! :)
This was excellent! I made double batch and was gone by the next day lol. This family of 5 Will be making this regularly. Thank you!
I’m glad your family loved it as much as mine!
Carbs + pickles + cheese? Pregnant lady dream right there. I’m SO making this.
LOL! Enjoy Tara!
I havent even chilled it yet and its delicious. I am a huge fan of dill pickles but was wary of having an entire dish dedicated to it. This turned out so well, a perfect balance of flavors. I think I will have to make this in double batches though if anyone else is going to have a chance to taste it. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this recipe and both my husband and son loved it requesting to make sure to make it again. I have and now have requests for the recipe. Big hit for a great summer salad
I made it and my kids loved it. That they eat it all. Thank you.
I’ve made this twice, and going for a third time today! Even my husband, who claims to hate pickles (he’s delusional ), loves it! It’s a new favorite…thank you!
I am so glad you liked this recipe! I hope maybe this will help change your hubby’s opinion of pickles!!
Great dish!! I added lots of cayenne pepper (didn’t measure) and next time i would definitely reduce..between cayenne pepper and onions it made it too spicy. I would add more pickles and maybe even a relish as i don’t taste the pickle juice just to add flavour. Otherwise, definitely will make again!
So glad you enjoyed it!
OMG…this was so flipping good! And a hit by everyone! This will be my new go to pasta salad!
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Love this recipe! I make it every summer now!
I had this at a Canada day bbq (my cousin made it) and loved it so much that I’m making it again right now for my husband! I’m a huge pickle fan and this really fits the bill! I also love the combo of sour cream and mayo in the dressing!
So glad you loved it! Happy (belated) Canada day!
OMG!!! So good! I used plain Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream, as that was what I had on hand, and what I prefer to use in dressings. Delicious…will become a potluck staple!
Hi Holly. Since you love dill pickles, I was wondering if you’ve made Dill Pickle Soup? I make it in the winter months. And I’m the only one here that’ll eat it, lol.
Hi Denise, I would love to try your recipe!
Hi. the pickle pasta salad looks good. I would like to take it to a graduation party. can this be made and refrigerate 4 – 8 hours? will it keep the taste and the dressing won’t get watery?
Absolutely, it’s great even the next day!
Scheduled to share in my Aldi community!! Its recipe week! :)
Great pasta salad and everyone loved it. If you like dill pickles this one’s for you! Thanks for recipe – will no doubt make again.
I make a similar pasta salad, however I use diced sweet pickles, diced cheddar cheese add diced ham along with my pasta of choice. I also keep it simple by using ranch dressing. I’ll have to try yours too. Thanks for sharing.
I made your salad and I also made a white chocolate raspberry swirl cheesecake. I did make your Dill pickle pasta salad and everyone loved it, it was very good and so easy to make. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Thank you for sharing your recipe, I made it for our family cookout and it was a big hit so very good. I was wondering how it would be if I used dark chocolate instead of the white? I love dark chocolate with raspberries.